President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on April 4 signed a decree on additional measures to provide the public with high-quality consumer goods, the Ministry of Justice said.

In order to enhance citizen oversight over the protection of consumer rights, suppress the facts of production and circulation of uncertified, counterfeit, expired and unsuitable goods, a procedure is being introduced according to which persons who report violations will get cash rewards. 

Confiscated food, alcohol and tobacco products that do not meet safety requirements will be destroyed in the presence of members of the public and the media. 

Reports about low-quality goods will be accepted through a single information system and swiftly considered by authorized bodies. 

The government was instructed to approve the procedure for accepting and considering complaints, as well as remuneration of persons who reported violations, within a week. 

Within three months, it was instructed to develop a bill that provides for: 

• harsher liability for acts related to the illegal circulation of goods that do not meet the requirements for the safety of life or health of consumers;
• establishing responsibility for an act related to the illegal circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcohol and tobacco products, based on the level of public danger;
• harsher administrative liability for violation of sanitary legislation and veterinary, veterinary and sanitary rules;
• harsher liability for the illegal use of someone else's trademark, service mark, geographical indication, appellation of origin, a sign confusingly similar to it, or the use of someone else's trade name.

The draft should also provide for the establishment of restrictions on the following types of activities for businesses whose licenses have been canceled or their activities have been terminated on a notification basis due to gross violations: 

• production of food and technical ethyl alcohol, alcoholic products, beer, beer drinks and tobacco products;
• wholesale and retail trade in alcoholic, tobacco products, wholesale trade in beer;
• sale of alcohol in catering establishments;
• retail sale of medicines and other medical products (except for ophthalmic medical products);
• activities related to the circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic drugs and their precursors.

From July 1, it is planned to abolish excise stamps for sparkling and common wines.

From August 1, the presence of a certificate of registration in the prescribed manner of trademarks of alcoholic products by the Ministry of Justice shall become a licensing requirement for its production.

From September 1, the license for wholesale and retail trade in tobacco products, wholesale trade in beer products shall be cancelled. To start the activity, only notification through the Unified Portal of Public Services will be required. An exception is entrepreneurs who have a license or notification for the wholesale and retail trade in alcoholic products.

In addition, food and technical ethyl alcohol, which is purchased at exchange auctions and exceeds one's own needs, can only be sold through exchange auctions.